St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-30

Misfortunes of the Man Who Was En-
tangled in the Intrigues of a Schemer.
History that has recorded the romances
and intrigues of Blennerhassett Island
will soon have to devote another page to
the disappearance of the celebrated isle
itself. For many years the sandy SOIL
has been succumbing slowly, but surely,
to the waters, and every successive rise
in the Ohio has reduced the size OF the
plot more and more; but very lately 1t
has met with its worst disaster. Kun
ming south into about the centre the
river has cut channel which has now
caused an immense Washout almost
directly in the middle of the island.
An immense excavation has thus
been created, and there are signs of SINH
lar holes appearing in other parts OF the
farm. One of the three grangers re-
siding there is trying hard to sell his
property. He is about frightene'! of.
Steamboat captains tell their passen-
gers of the fate with which other islands
have met, and in pointing out the sites
of lost land, predict the entire swallow
ing up of Blennerhassett's before many
years have passed away. Only the
other day a vessel steaming toward
Pittsburg caught on the branches OF
tree, which had been undermined at
the edge of the island, and had hard
tussle to get away uninjured. As if pro-
! nl,r e = Of a
| island are poorer this year than ever be-
| fore; and it has always been regarded as
among the most valuable agricultural
| property in West Virginia.
| Perhaps no spot along the Ohio has
/ such an interesting history as Blenner-
hassetts Island It's lore is that of the
nation itself 1t was here that Aaron
Burr's treachery was practically checked,
and the triumph Of that event is mel
| lowed by the sadness Of the fall OF poor
old man Blennerhassett-the dupe OF
Burr Over century ago this gentle
man settled on the island, building him
self a delightful residence, and ever
afterward dispensing most elegant hos
pitalitv. Hartman Blennerhassett was
born in 1863 in England. He was bred
to the law in Ireland, but sold his estate
in that country for more than $l0O,O0O,
and came to the United States. After
! remaining in New York a short time he
emiyrated to the West, and took up the
island, which is just a few miles below
Parkersburg, w. Va.
Here it was that Aaron Burr interested
him in his scheme for Selling Mexico,
where, in case of success, Burr was to be
emperor. Theodosia Aston, Burrs daugh-
ter, was to be empress, and Blennerhas-
sett was to receive the title of duke
and appointment as ambassador to Eng
land. Blennerhassett expended large
sums in fitting out an expedition, and,
though discouraged when he learned OF
Burr's real designs, the intriguer had
such influence with Blennerhassett's wife
that the old man still adhered to him.
After becoming thoroughly interested in
Burrs visionary enterprise, Blennerhas-
| sett took him over to the town of Mar
ietta, O., for the purpose of purchasing
| supplies for the voyage.
AT the counting house of Dudley,
Woodbridge s. Co., he left men,
orandum of such provisions as he
wanted They included pork, flour,
whiskev, bacon and kiln dried meal.
| They also made a contract with this firm
/ for the building of fifteen boats. They
were to be on the Schenectady model,
| such as were then used ON the Mohawk
river Only eleven of the boats were
completed. These were built on the
| Muskingum river about seven miles
! above Marietta, and were to be delivered
| on the 9th of December, 1906. At that
| date further work was interrupted by
the militia, who, discovering Burr's plans,
| took possession of the boats. The days
following were lively times on Blenner-
hassetts Island Burr and Blennerhassett
both having to go heavilyarmed to protect
| themselves against suspicious citizens.
When later on they both fled to Cincin-
natl and the South, Mrs. Blennerhassett
showed her loyalty to her husband by
sending her trustworthy servant, Peter
TAYLOR, after the old gentleman to bring
him back.
Blennerhassett was arrested in 1907
and held for trial as traitor, but BARS
acquittal set all suspected people free.
His beautiful island and home had been
sacrificed to creditors, and he weAt to
Natchez bankrupt. He undertook a
cotton plantation, but the war with Eng
land ruined commerce and he then re-
mONeu 10 MOutIedl, WueTe Ut pTdCLlceu
law. In 1922 he went to Ireland, but
here he failed to secure certain property
and continued to fail in every project he
undertook. In the last years of his life
he was supported by his sister, who had
left a small estate to his wife and
children. Blennerhassett had mar
ried the daughter of Governor Ag-
new, of the Isle of Man. She was
a woman of superior culture and the
authoress of several poems, the best
known of which are 1.-THE Desert Isle"
and "The Widow of the Rock" She
came back to the United States after the
| death of her husband, in 1881, and petit
toned Congress for grant in reparation
for her great losses, but she died before
final action was taken. She was buried
| by the Sisters of Charity in New York
city, broken-hearted and an utterly
| poverty stricken woman. A bit of board
is the only headstone at her tomb.
L. E. SToFIEL.
A Smooth Grocer.
Mrs. Pretense Ito grocer)-What are those
plums worth